David b



2 Sheets-Sheet; ll.

D.B.THOM,PSON. TYPE DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

No. 102,183. Patented Apr. 19, 1870.

Val-fro. i

in; mums vrrzns ca. rum-ammo WASHINGTON, o c

, 2 Sl1eetsSheen 2. D. B. THOMPSON. TYPE DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

No. 102,183. Patented Apr. 19, 1870.

n" 3 m I J J) i T l-- ,1 I v ,.4 I w 6 1 H I u u k r T A! A .P p

. 3 J I I 1724/0220? Wa /WM THE "cams P'rzns co PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, o, c.

diluted finite 1: aim t Letters Patent No. 102,183, dated April 19,1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN TYPE-DISTRIBUTING- MACHINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

I, DAVID B. THOMPSON, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have made certain lmprovements in Machines for Distributing Types, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The type in this nachine is made with the usual notches out in one of its edges, varying and shaped difierently on each, in a manner so as to distinguish each characterfrom the other in like manner as com-. monly known with machines for this purpose.

The invention relates to the means employed for effecting the separation and distribution of the different characters to obtain the same with more simple means, and in a'more positive manner than with those heretofore used.

The invention consists in the employment of a table or shelflwith a row of spaces or cells with ribs between, and having projections, in number and of shape to meet and match the notched edges of the type, and freely admit said project-ions, one for each different character, into the first of which spaces the types are fed one by onc, and each space having its discharge connected with one of the spaces of the distributing-case, and having mechanism to adjust each character, and try it against the projections of the rib of the space with its notched edge, and to release and discharge said character into the space of the distributing-case, if matching with its notched edge, and permit it to enter the projections of said rib'of said space, while at the same time having mechanism to retain such character if not matching with the notched edge on the said projections of its rib, and with means for taking up the. same from it, and to forwardingand placing it into the next joining space toward the last, until said character, in moving from one to the other, does meet with a space having a rib with projections matching its notched edge, from which it is discharged, as above stated, so that the types, as fed one by we, placed into the first of the row of spaces, each held and adjusted, and tried or moved, with its notched side against the rib and projections of that space, when matching therewith, aredischarged into the receiving-space for the kind of character intended for the distributing-case, and, if not matching, are forwarded from space to space, toward the last, until meeting the space having the projections to match the said notched edge, from where they are discharged into the proper receptacle for each character.

By these means a continuous grip is had on the type, while under operation of the machine, until discharged and delivered, and, by means of arranging the projections or pins matching the notches of the type, and to withdraw them from the side of the type, instead of its edge, and while under gripe of the machine, the action of the machine on the type in distributing it, is made more certain, more positive with simple mechanism, and more easy manageable and kept in order than heretofore known.

Description of the Accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents a "ertical cross-section'of a machine embodying my invention, having its working parts shown in position while the types are placed in the spaces.

Figure 2 is a similar section of the same, its working parts shown in position before the discharge of the type is effected, and while the type is tried or adjusted in the spaces of the machine.

Figure 3 is a front view of the machine.

Figure 4, a top view of the same.

.Figure 5 is a detached horizontal section of the distributing-shelf, exhibiting the working parts connected with its spaces in position similar to that shown in fig. 2-.

Figure 6 is a similar section, showing the working parts in position similar. to that shown in fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a similar section, the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 8 represents a modification of the parts shown in fig. 7.

GeneralDescription. I

A represents a narrow inclined table or shelf, which has, across its top or working face, B, a row of ribs, 0 O 0, between which are formed the spaces 1) D, which correspond in number with the number of iif ferent characters for which the machine is intended to distribute.

Each of these ribs G G has pins or projections E E, one or more on the same side of all of them, which pins match and enter freely into the notches on the edge of one of each different character, when the edge of said character is adj ustcd against the side of the rib havingthe said projections or pins E; and said pins pass through perforations made in the faceplate of said shelf, and form part, or are made on the end of slides 1* 1*, which are guided in the rear portion of said shelf, so that the said pins may he slid to project, or can be withdrawn from projecting over the face B of the shelf.

Each of these slides F has on its rear end, a notch, G, in which engages the loose end of a spring, H, which has its fixed end secured to a bar, I, which latter is permanently attached to the lower side B of the table A, so that, by means of these springs, the slides 1'! and pins E are withdrawn from projecting above the working-face B of the machine.

Now, on the opposite side of each of the spaces 1') to that on which the pins E are located, I have erly P P, so that, when the said cams are rotated, the.

are cut out in rear of said ends of said lever suf-- ficiently to permit said ends to enter and sink even with: the side of the rib, so that a type may be fi'eely placed in any of the spaces D D, without interfering with the pins E or ends of the levers K K, and that the type placed may bemovedupon the bottom of its space or face B, and pressed against the pins E, by means of the ends of said lever K, which 'are allowed to pass freely and sufficiently in said slots J J for the purpose.

The sh'elf A is secured to the legs or standards A A, which form part of the frame of the machine, and the length of this shelf is,.of course, extended to contain the required'number of spaces 1) to have one for each difierent character to be distributed, and its width; is less in dimension than that-of the length of the type treated on the machine.

L represents a rectangular frame, which has for its object to carry and place the types from one space of the shelf to the other;it has two sides, one'along the lower and the otheralong the upper side B of the shelf.

The edges L'Lof these sides of the frame, meeting with the ends of the ribsO 0, have spaces M M cut. in them, corresponding with the spaces D D and ribs 0 in width and division.. i

The ends of the frame are made to project rearward more or less, and each resting upon a cam, N, ywhich latter is mounted upon the driving-shaft O of the machine, andit rests in bearings P P located below and in rear of the shelf.

In order to oblige said frame to follow the eccentrio motion of saidcams N, I employ spiral or othersprings Q on each end of said, frame, which are propsecured with their fixed end upon the bearings frame L is caused to rise beyond the ribs 0 O, with the bottom of its spaces M M, in a certain period of the revolution of said cams, while, at another period, said spaces of the frame recede beyond the bottom of the spaces D of the shelf.

The frame L has also a longitudinal reciprocating motiomin order to carry the type received from one ofthe spaces D to its next joining, which motion is obtained through a cam, R, on the end-of the drivingshaft 0, which has its eccentricity on its side, and en gages a projecting piece, S, secured upon theend of said frame, and which is brought to bear upon it by means of a spring, T, which is attached to the end of the frame,'and ,held secure on a post of the frame of the machine.

In order to operate the levers K K and slides F F, I employ a rock-shaft, U, which has its bearings V V directly rearward of the shelf A, and has upon it a series of yielding arms, W W, one for each lever K; and the levers K are made with bent arms, K K, extending toward and to come in contact with said arms WW in rocking the shaft U, to a certain extent, which rocking is caused by means of.an arm, U fixed upon the end of said rock-shaft and bearing, with its end upon a cam, X, mounted. upon the drivlug-shaft O.

To operate the slides F, I employ a rock-bar, Y, which is brought to bear against the rear ends of the slides F, by means of having its fulcrum upon the said rock-shaft Z fixed also upon the driving-shaft, so that, by turning the driving-shaft, the said bar Y, turning loosely on the rock-shaft U, is caused to rise, and, consequently, presses the slides forward,

causing its-pins E E to project above the face B of the shelf.

In order to lock these slides for a short time, while the type is to beheld until taken up by the frame L to be forwarded to the next space joining, I employ a slot, 1, in each of said slides, and a two-armed locking-lever, 2, which has a nose, 3, to engage in said slot or notch 1, and is forced in said slot by means of a spring, 4, attached to the lever K, located behind for releasing said slides.

I provide the arm opposite to the arm having the said nose-with a set-screw, 5, against which the lever K bears when the said slide is required to be released,

. in order to discharge the respective type.

Instead of employing the lever 2 for locking the slide ,or slides 13, the lever K may be madewith a nose to project sufficiently to engage in the notch 1 of the slide, as shown in fig. 8.

, To adjust the required reciprocating motion transferred by the cam R, I provide the ends ofthe frame L with set-screws 6 6, and. the rock-bar Y has provision for adjusting its motion by means of having its hubs, on which it turns detachable, constructed and made with set-screws to extend its length more or less, and, consequently, its motion more or less.

From the foregoing it will be seen, when the types are fed, in the usual manner, through proper guides and gates tothe face 13, ahead of theffirst of the spaces D, in a manner to allow them or each of them to properly slide and stop against-the stopping-plate 9, which is secured and projects to form the lower side of the frame L, and eachof the said types so deposited is by means of the cams N N and R, acting upon the frame L, taken up in the spaces M Mv of the edges of the sides of saidframe, and the type taken up is carried over the rib 0 into the space joining, and is deposited therein by the onward motion of the drivingshaft, indirection shown by the arrow indicated in .fig. 1.

The cam X is brought in contact with the arm U, causes the rock-shaft to turn, whereby the yielding arms W W are caused to press against the arms K of the lever K, which causes their ends on the face B to move, and press the type toward the side of the rib having the pins E, and bringing the notched edge of said type against said pins, and, if matching and permitting. said pins to enter the notches'of the edge of the type, the lever K causes to disengage the nose 3 from the notch 1, thereby permitting the said type to discharge, on account of the pins E being withdrawn by these springs from the face B, and loosing hold of such type; whereas, if thenotches of said type do not matpli said pins E, the type cannot move suificiently to the" side of the rib of that space to permit its lever B to act sufliciently on the lever 2 to disengage its nose 3 from looking the slide F, and

allowing its spring to withdraw it, consequently holding said type fast until, by the onward motion of the machine, the frame L again takes up the type, and forwards it to next space joining, in which the type is again tried to match, and the same operation repeated, in a manner to pass said type from spaceito space toward the last, until finding a space provided with the pins E matching its notches, from where it is discharged into the respective receiving-space of the usual distributing-case.

It will-be seen, by means of the cams Z, the slides F are moved forward after every revolution of the driving-shaft.

To prevent the type from casual displacement, I employ a spring attached to the frame L, and hear ing softly upon the upper sides of the types.

Glat'm,

I claim as my invention 1. The employment of the inclined table or shelf, with spaces D and ribs 0 and frame L, when pro- Vided to onerate. in the mannar and in nnm with the table A, substantially asand for the purpose and nose 3, the frame L and cams N, X, and Z, arms herein shown. W, shafts O and U, arms U, and bar Y, operating 2. The levers K and slides F, provided with th'e pins substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

DAVID B. THOMPSON.

combined and operating with the frame L and table A, substantially as and for the purpose herein described. Witnesses:

3. The combination of the table A, levers K, ribs JAS. CHAPMAN, 0, spaces D.-nins E, and slides F with the notch 1 B. BOEKLEX. 

